Forward
by cranesinthesky
Summary: [ON HIATUS] AU/ No Zombies. Dealing with heartbreak and rejection, Michonne moves back to her hometown Atlanta to begin her healing process, but along the way she meets Rick Grimes, who aides her on her journey to self-discovery.
1. Chapter 1

_"_ _So what are we doing here, Mike?"_

 _Michonne stared at her boyfriend who was sitting on the edge of their bed, his head down, refusing to make eye contact with her._

 _They had been through this so many times before throughout the last couple of months. But this time… this time it seemed final. They were tired of the arguing and one giving the other the cold shoulder. By the feel of the tension in the room and Mike's delayed response, Michonne knew that all of it would be over in just a matter of minutes._

 _"_ _I can't do this anymore, Chonne," he finally said, his voice low._

 _Michonne paused, waiting for the second part of his answer, an explanation of why. Instead, he just sat there, his head still low, refusing to even look at her after his low blow._

 _"_ _Why?" she asked. Her voice came out stern as anger started to bubble inside of her. After committing herself to this relationship and loving this man for five years, she felt she deserved an explanation of his sudden withdrawal away from her. He had been acting strange lately, keeping his distance from her and staying out later than normal. She was convinced there was someone else, but she needed to hear the words come from his mouth._

 _"_ _It's just not working out," he said, finally looking up at her. His eyes were filled with sadness and his facial features looked worn, as if he had aged suddenly. "I lost my job. The business deal with Terry has gone down the drain. I'm wiped out."_

 _Michonne crossed her arms and frowned. "And why didn't you tell me all of this before? I could have helped you, Mike. I could have-"_

 _"_ _Could have what, Michonne?" he asked, standing up, his fist balling with anger and frustration. "There's nothing you could have done. There is no happy ending here. This isn't the life I imagined us having. You think you could have helped? Then tell me what the answer is here."_

 _They stared at each other for a few moments, the tension in the air so thick you could cut it with a knife. Just looking at Mike's face made Michonne wished she had a knife with her now. How dare he do this to her? They had had some hard moments, but nothing like this._

 _She looked down at the ground. She was never one to give up, but if this is what he wanted, then so be it. "I guess there isn't an answer here."_

 _Mike nodded. He exhaled and ran a hand over the top of his head. He reached out to touch her arm, causing Michonne to flinch at the contact. His touch that she once craved and loved was a sad reminder of what she lost. "I'm sorry," he said._

 _She looked up at him, her eyes baring into his, hoping he saw the pain and disappointment that she had towards him. "You always are."_

* * *

Michonne sighed and placed her hands on her hips as she looked around her apartment. For the first time since she moved back to her hometown Atlanta two months ago, her new place was free of all boxes. Everything was unpacked and put away in their rightful place. All of her furniture had finally arrived. Everything was good.

Now only if she could get her personal life in order.

She glanced at the clock on her wall. She had exactly an hour to go and grab the birthday gift she had on hold for her father at the nearby bookstore before heading out to his party at her parents' house. After grabbing her cell phone from the kitchen table where a stack of her work papers sat and her sweater from off of the couch, she left out of her high rise apartment building and onto the busy street.

The decision to move back to Atlanta was really a last minute decision Michonne had made about six months ago. It had been a year since her breakup with Mike and she was still living in their- or rather, her- apartment, since he had moved out the day after he gave up on their relationship. She felt like she was in a rut, drowning with no hope of coming to the surface. She worked extra hours to avoid going home to an empty place and rarely slept in her bed to avoid the empty space next to her that had been previously occupied for so long; the couch had became her new sleeping place. Her old apartment felt lonely and cold with memories being brought up that did not help the healing process. It wasn't until her best friend Andrea asked her for what seemed to be the hundredth time to move back to Atlanta, even offering her the guest room at her townhouse until she found a place of her own.

"Anything you need, Chonne," Andrea had said during their one of weekly phone conversations. "I just hate that you're through this alone."

Michonne realized then that it was time for a change of scenery. She had spent the last ten years in New York after her graduation from law school and still worked for the same law firm she interned with post graduation. However, her friends and parents still lived in Atlanta plus there was a position open at the law firm where Andrea worked that was more than willing to take her in. Everything fell into place and she hoped that being around her loved ones would pull her back to the surface.

She pulled open the door to the bookstore, the bell that was hanging on the knob ringing from the sudden movement. The place was a small mom and pop store that had been in business for as long as she could remember; her father, an avid reader, would often bring her there often when she was a kid. There were bookcases that reached as high as the ceiling, showcasing everything from the classics to comic books. People would get lost and lose track of time whenever they walked in.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" A young girl with shoulder length blond hair and a broad smile said from behind the counter a few feet away from the front door. Michonne glanced at her nametag: Beth.

"Hi, Beth. I believe you're the one I talked to earlier this week, about putting the anthology on hold?"

"Oh, yes. I have it right here." Beth reached underneath the counter and pulled out the hardback book. "Would you like for me to wrap it?"

After paying, Michonne walked down one of the aisles, promising herself a couple minutes and browsing and she would head out. Her mother was a very particular person when it came to her party itinerary and she did not want to mess that up tonight and face therwrath.

Just as she was about to round the corner, she bumped into someone and her bag fell to the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said as she started to bend down to pick up the bag. The man stopped her by holding up his hand and doing it for her, also picking up a comic book that she assumed was his.

"It's not a problem. I should be the one apologizing," the man said in a deep southern drawl. When he straightened up, Michonne could see that he was a handsome man with curly brown hair and a salt and pepper stubble, giving him a distinguished but yet rough look. It was his eyes that made her breath catch; they were strikingly blue but yet she could see that they mirrored her own, full of sadness and pain. She instantly wondered what his story was.

He seemed to be thinking the same as they just stood there, staring at each other, his hand still outstretched with his fingers wrapped around the bag. Michonne quickly came to her senses and thanked him as she accepted the bag, her face feeling hot and flushed. She looked down at the comic book in his hand and gave a small smile as she read the title.

" _Black Panther_ , huh?" she said, raising her eyebrows and nodding towards the comic book, her interest now sparked. "Didn't strike you as the type."

The man tilted his head and squinted. "And why is that?"

She shrugged, a smirk on her face. Her eyes scanned over him. He was wearing what looked to be a sheriff's uniform- brown pants and a two tone brown and tan button up shirt with a King's County Sherriff Department badge embroidered on the sleeve. "I can't imagine a deputy reading a comic book about superheroes when most of you think of yourselves as one."

The man chuckled as he looked down at the ground then back up at her, amused at the playful look in her eyes. "Well, you're right. About the type part, not the 'I think of myself as a superhero' part. I'm picking this up for my son. He's recently gotten into reading comic books so I've been by here at least once a week in the search for more. He goes through them like crazy."

"Next time you should pick out _Civil War_. He'll enjoy it."

The man nodded. "I'll let him know." He paused for a minute, hesitant, as if contemplating something. Then he held out his hand, "Rick Grimes."

"Michonne Hayes," she said, accepting his handshake. He was about to continue on when she interrupted. "Um, I'm sorry, Mr. Grimes, but I really should get going. I have somewhere to be in about another thirty minutes."

"Oh, of course," he said, disappointed. "Hopefully next time I come in here, you'll be able to help me find this _Civil War_ book."

She gave a tight smile. The conversation had turned flirty, a road she did not and was not ready to take just yet. Flirting led to dating and dating turned into potentially falling in love. This wasn't part of her self-healing process.

"Maybe," she offered simply. "It was nice meeting you, Rick Grimes."

Rick watched as she walked away and out of the bookstore, unable to keep his eyes off of her. He couldn't help but think that would not be the last time he would see Michonne Hayes. And he silently hoped that that was true.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick turned the corner of the suburban neighborhood, squinting to see the numbers on each house as he drove past. 1511 Maple Avenue was his destination. His eyes scanned past a 1505 then a 1507. When he looked ahead at the end of street, he saw about seven cars parked in the driveway and on the street in front of the two story colonial style home, a dead giveaway of the house he was looking for.

"This must be it," he mumbled to himself as he parked across the street from the house.

Before getting out of his truck, he glanced at his phone for the time: five o'clock pm. The exact time his friend, Andrea, told him to be there for the party's start. She had told him earlier that she would be a little late due to a wardrobe malfunction and that she would meet him there. This worked out perfectly for him since he had to pick up some things for his son, Carl, downtown.

As he walked up the walkway towards the house, he could hear the sounds of people laughing and the distant sound of music playing. After ringing the doorbell and hoping someone would be able to hear it, he put a hand on his hips and looked down at the ground, wondering why he agreed to do this. Andrea had invited him a couple of days ago when he ran into him at his friend Glenn's restaurant down in King County, enjoying her not so common venture out of the city and into the small country town. Supposedly, this was the birthday party for her best friend's father. Why was Rick invited? He had no idea, but after Andrea practically begged him to just stop by and linger for a little bit, he could not pass her up. Not after all she did for him back when he needed legal help and advice last year.

The door opened. When he looked up, he saw Andrea standing in front of him with a bright smile on her face. "Hey, you made it! Come on in, we're just about to start eating."

Rick followed her into the house, where he instantly heard a Gladys Knight song playing from stereo in the corner of the living room. There had to be at least a dozen or so people standing around, talking and laughing. Happy Birthday balloons were tied to the end of the staircase and scattered around the living room, bobbing against the ceiling. Confetti was scattered over the small table that held the appetizers, punch and wine against the back wall.

"You didn't have any trouble getting here, did you?" Andrea asked, leading him over to the table. She poured two glasses of white wine, handing one to him before taking a sip from her glass. "I know it's a far way from King County."

"No, it was fine. I was downtown anyway; had to pick up a few things for Carl before he comes over tomorrow. He's spending the week with me."

Andrea smiled at the mention of the young boy. "Oh, that's good. You two will have to swing by the office sometime. I haven't seen him in a while. How's he doing?"

"He's good," Rick nodded. "Uh, Lori signed him up for some after school tutoring since he's struggling with math, but other than that, he's as good as can be."

Andrea took another sip of her drink, contemplating on whether to ask her next question or not, knowing that it was a sore spot for him. She decided to go ahead with it. "And Lori? How is she doing?"

Rick averted his eyes, looking around the room as he sighed. He rubbed his eyebrow before turning back to her concerning stance. "Good. She, uh, she and Shane are expecting."

Andrea raised her eyebrows, surprised as she wasn't expecting this bit of news. "Oh. Well. Congratulations to her, I guess. How far along is she?"

"About four months. She just told me last week when I dropped off Carl." He took a gulp of his drink, silently wishing that it was something stronger in his cup. "Apparently, they're going to find out the gender in a couple more weeks."

Andrea put a hand on his arm. "Hey," she said softly. "Rick, you need to move on with your life. Lori has, now why can't you?"

Rick sighed. He knew she was right. It had been nearly a year and a half since his divorce and he was still trying to grasp it all. He did love Lori, but not like he used to; that love had dwindled away years ago. He loved and respected her as the mother of his child. At this point, he was still holding onto the idea of what he could have done differently to hold onto his marriage for Carl's sake. Dropping him off every other week and spending every other holiday at Lori's place was not something he wanted for Carl; he wanted a family again, all under one roof, and he knew Carl did too. Now, he was part of a blended family that they were both desperately trying to get used to.

"Come on," Andrea said, pulling on his arm and wanting to get away from the depressing talk. "Let me introduce you to Mr. Hayes, the birthday boy. I've known him and his family for years."

* * *

Michonne hurriedly grabbed her father's gift from off of the passenger's seat and nearly jumped out of the car, making a beeline towards her parents' house, her heels clicking against the brick walkway. She was late and she knew her mother was waiting for her.

Sure enough, Sarah Hayes was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed. She raised an eyebrow as her daughter gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You're late," she said.

"I know, Mom, I know. I'm sorry," Michonne said as they both stepped into the house. "I ran into some traffic on the way here. Plus, I had to pick up Dad's gift." She held up the neatly wrapped book that she wished she could take credit for. "I worked a little late today."

"You're always working late." Sarah took the gift from her daughter. "You need to calm it down and relax a little. Ever since you moved back down here you've been stuck in that office."

"Well, Mom, work calls. What can I say?"

"You can say no."

Michonne rolled her eyes as her mother walked over to the gift table. Her mother was never one to mince words so she wasn't sure why she didn't expect her to do it this time. Shaking her head, she looked around for her father, a smile appearing on her face when she saw him near the staircase talking with Andrea.

"Hey, Daddy," she said wrapping her arms around him. "Happy Birthday."

"Hey baby girl," he said, accepting her hug. "Glad you could make it! How long have you been here?"

"I just got here. Sorry I'm so late."

"Now you know I don't care," he laughed. "That's all your mother. You got your lateness from me, matter of fact. I was late for our wedding ceremony."

All three laughed. "And she still married you?" Andrea asked playfully.

"Took some convincing but here we are nearly thirty-eight years later."

Michonne smiled. Her parents' marriage was an inspiration for her that she dreamed of having one day. They had seen each other through the best and worst of times over the years. She only hoped that she would be able to find someone to do that with her.

"Chonne, come on," Andrea said, gesturing for her to follow her. "Let's get you settled before we eat. I have someone I want you to meet."

Michonne frowned as they headed towards the kitchen. "Who is it?" She looked around the room, recognizing everyone there as either a friend or close colleague of her father. She didn't remember Andrea saying anything about bringing someone to the party. "You brought another guest to my father's party? Andrea, it's supposed to be a small, intimate dinner."

"Okay, first of all, relax. I'd hardly think that a dozen people is a small dinner." Andrea held up her hand to argue her point. "I spoke with your mother before and she said it was fine. Besides, you know your mother loves me like a daughter. She will say yes to anything that involves me."

Michonne couldn't help but smile because she knew it was true. "Kind of hard for her not to after you spent almost every day here growing up and eating up all of our food. " She nudged her friend's shoulder with hers. "Now, who is this person?"

"It's a guy that I worked on a case with last year."

"You brought a guy?" she laughed. "It never fails with you, huh? You're always picking up men."

Andrea glanced over at her friend, a mischievous smile on her face. "I told you, come out with me for happy hour instead of clocking extra hours at the office and I can introduce you to a couple of fellas."

Michonne sucked her teeth, already knowing the topic of conversation that was about to start as they had been through it many times before. "Andrea, I told you; I'm not ready."

"I know, I know," she said in return, holding up her hands in surrender. "But he's going through a rough patch as well so I figured you guys could maybe bond over that." Andrea noticed that Michonne had stopped walking, so she turned to face her. "Because apparently, I'm not helping you. You're not letting me in to how you're feeling or anything. You've completely shut down on me, _your best friend_ ," she emphasized. "I thought that maybe if you had someone who was going through something similar, it would cheer you up."

Michonne's face softened. She knew her best friend cared and was worried about her, but like she told her before, she was fine. She may feel down at times, but it was not anything she couldn't handle. As long as she kept her heart guarded and hopes down, she would continue to be fine. She had to Mike to thank for that.

"Fine," she sighed. "Who is this guy that you found?"

Andrea smiled gratefully before she pointed to a man a couple of feet away from them, talking with Tyrese Williams a friend of the family. "He's right there. His name is Rick Grimes."

* * *

Rick felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Andrea standing with a woman with long locs that cascaded past her shoulders. She was wearing a sleeveless orange dress that paired well against her smooth dark skin. His breath caught as he quickly recognized the woman he had met just earlier at the bookstore.

"Michonne," he said before Andrea could make the introduction. "Didn't realize I would see you again so soon."

Michonne nodded, her face growing hot as she tried to avoid eye contact with him. "Likewise. Especially not at my father's party." She glanced at Andrea, who had a confused look on her face. "This is the guy?"

"Uh, yes." Andrea waved her finger between the two. "How do you two know each other?"

"We met at a bookstore earlier today," Rick cut in, his eyes still on Michonne. She shifted, uncomfortable under his stare. He noticed and turned his attention back to Andrea. "So this is your best friend?"

"Since middle school," Andrea said, smiling to ease the awkwardness that was obviously between her two friends. She made a quick note in her head to confront Michonne about it later. "She just moved back to Atlanta a couple of months ago."

"Really? Where from?" Rick nodded at Michonne, curious to know more about the beautiful stranger.

"New York," Michonne said quickly. She inhaled as she scanned her eyes around the room in an attempt to get far away from this man. She didn't know what it was, but every time she was near him, she felt this type of …. Connection. Weird.

Seeing her mother disappear into the kitchen, she decided to make her getaway. "If you will please excuse me, I have to go help in the kitchen. Sorry."

Avoiding the concerned expression on her friend's face, she stepped away and made a break for the kitchen. Luckily, her mother was just about to set out the food and gather everyone into the dining room where two tables were set up.

Throughout the course of dinner, Michonne tried her best to ignore both Rick and Andrea. She sat near her father and mother at table one while they were seated at table two. She conversed with the other guests while enjoying the meal of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, salad and mashed potatoes. She smiled to herself as she looked around and basked in the glory of being around her loved ones again; distracting herself from the pain and heartache she had been through during the past year. This was what she missed; being near her loved ones, feeling their constant love and affection. She thought she had all of this in New York, but, after her breakup with Mike, all of their "friends" had disappeared, not wanting to get involved with messiness of their situation.

After dinner was finished and the tables were cleared, the guests headed into the living room for some dancing. The stereo was now cranked up a little bit higher, playing a slow tempo song by the Temptations. Needing a quick break for some fresh air, Michonne slipped out to the back porch.

She sighed as she leaned against the railing, her hands hanging off of the edge as she stared at the tiny white dots of stars in the dark night sky. Stargazing was one of her favorite things to do while in Atlanta. After living in New York for so long, she became accustomed to the bright lights, city noise and bustling traffic. But back at home, she could just take a minute and enjoy the serenity that the earth had to offer.

A couple of minutes later, the back door opened, the laughing and music interrupting her thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the mysterious handsome stranger she had just met earlier today.

"I saw you slip out," he said as he walked up beside her, placing his hands on the railing a couple of inches away from hers. "Everything okay?"

Michonne smirked, annoyed by the fact that his eyes seemed to have followed her everywhere tonight. From the time Andrea introduced them to the dinner table to now, she had caught him taking quick glances at her. She could not figure out what was with this guy. "You know, you must be a really good cop. You're very observant of the people around you."

He laughed as he scratched at his eyebrow. "Yeah, well, it comes in handy." He glanced up at the night sky then back at her. "You never answered the question," he said, his deep southern accent drawing the sentence out.

"I'm okay. As okay as I can be. Just thinking about some stuff."

"Like what?"

"Nothing that concerns you." She smirked and turned her body towards him, her eyebrows raised. "Why the interest? Do you think I'm in some distress that you need to save me from? Like a superhero?"

"No, not at all," he chuckled.

He rubbed at his beard causing Michonne to notice his strong forearms, tanned from the hot Georgia sun. Her eyes roamed from his arms to his chest and back up to his face, his beard framing his lips perfectly. His hair was combed back away from his face with some tucked behind his ears, an obvious detail that he was past due for a trim.

"It's just that you look so sad and pained. I figured you needed someone to talk to," he continued, making Michonne snap back to reality.

Michonne stood straight and titled her head, trying to read this guy. What was his motive? She then remembered what Andrea said earlier. That he also went through a similar heartbreak and that maybe he can help her deal with hers. She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Her friend was up to something and she wasn't sure she was along for the ride.

"Listen, I don't know if Andrea put you up to this or not, but I'm fine. I just… needed a moment."

She even knew that that last sentence wasn't true. She didn't have just one moment, but multiple moments over the last year. Her professional life was great- exceptional really- but it was her private life that needed the fixing. To protect herself from any more hurt and betrayal, she built a wall around her heart, promising herself that she wouldn't go through this again. But as she stared into Rick's eyes, she saw herself. That he had done the same as well and for a moment, she felt the need to reach out and touch him. To comfort him. She quickly came to her senses; however, as she looked down and noticed that the space between them had decreased. He was only a few inches away, so close she could smell the scent of him. She looked up to see him gazing down at her, a slight frown on his face as searched her face, hoping to find some confirmation that she was feeling the same as he was feeling. Intrigued. Attracted. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he felt some type of connection to her; the need to be around her.

Michonne stepped back, her face feeling hot and her heart racing. She ran her fingers through her hair. "I, um, I have to go," she said, pointing towards the door.

"Wait," Rick stopped her. He lightly placed his fingers on her arm before she could turn away. He hoped he hadn't overstepped his boundaries. He figured that he didn't as she had stayed put, waiting impatiently for his reason. "I was thinking that maybe we could go out for a coffee or something."

She frowned. "Why?"

He wasn't sure why. All he knew was that he needed to see her again. There was something about her that just pulled him towards her, like a magnet. He shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

She looked down at his fingers on her arm, in which he quickly removed them. She pondered for a few seconds before looking back up at him.

"Fine, but this isn't a date" she said, eyeing him sharply to make sure he got the message.

He smirked. "Never said it was one."

She nodded. "Good." She started to walk backwards towards the door. "I'm in the same office building as Andrea, down the hall." And with that she was gone, leaving Rick alone, wondering where the hell this was going on.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick shifted uncomfortably in his chair as he watched the school counselor sitting across from him shuffle through some papers. He glanced at the clock on the wall. 4:00. Hopefully this meeting would be over soon so he could head out of there. The counselor had called him last week requesting an appointment with him and Lori in regards to Carl's behavior in school. The young boy had been going through a roller coaster ride of emotions for the past year and a half that was reflecting his behavior in school, which led him into detention a couple of times.

Rick glanced over at Lori, sitting a couple of inches beside him in a similar mahogany chair. She sat with one leg crossed over the other, her hands in her lap. She stared ahead at Deanna, careful not to make eye contact with him, knowing that even a look could cause an awkwardness between the two that was somehow still shown a year and a half after their divorce.

"So, overall, Carl is doing well in school. Academically, of course," Deanna said, folding one hand over the other, smiling as she looked between the two.

Both Rick and Lori stared at her, feeling that there was more to it. Lori was the first to speak up. "But?"

"But, we are still having some trouble with his behavior in class and attitude towards some of his teachers," Deanna continued. "He's been having some anger issues and-"

"He's been through a lot," Rick interrupted.

"Yes, I know, but he's been talking back to some of his teachers and some of the other students, provoking arguments. Mrs. Lewis had to pull him out of class yesterday." Deanna cleared her throat. "Now-Rick, Lori-I hope I'm not getting too personal, but I just wanted to know- how is everything at home? I know the divorce was a little bit messy, but have things improved?"

Rick and Lori averted their eyes. King County was a small town, with a population of maybe a thousand or so people. The town gossip and rumors spread around faster than a wildfire. Surely, everyone in town had heard about their divorce. How just after a couple of months Lori had started a relationship with Rick's best friend and partner, Shane Walsh. How they married a couple of months after that. How Rick nearly lost his job as deputy sheriff after a mental breakdown at the local bar. How Lori and Shane were now expecting a baby. Word traveled fast, but the adults always made a point to not bring it up in front of the stars themselves. Kids, on the other hand, were different; Carl had heard his fair of whispers around school, some to his face, which was what often led him to some of these arguments. Deanna had been talking with Carl recently, hoping to help guide the boy back to the correct path.

"It's better," Lori said, nervously wringing her hands. "Better than what it was… at first."

Deanna smiled. "Kids tend to act out when they're going through a drastic change, so all of this is not unheard of. He could still be getting used to the change in his lifestyle, even if it has been some time since the divorce." She paused. "I was thinking that maybe we can sign him up for therapy. We have a partnership with the local university where the psychologists in training come by here once a week to speak with students who are going through life changing events. There are usually hour long sessions on Wednesdays. We have tried this out before with some of our students and it works wonders. I think this will be good for Carl."

"I don't think-" Rick started.

"I think that's a good idea," Lori said.

They looked over at each other before turning away, their faces flushed after speaking over each other. Rick silently hoped that this little disagreement wouldn't turn into something bigger as it often did back when they were married. The last few years of their marriage they could never agree with anything and apparently it was the same post marriage. However, they always tried to keep Carl first and did whatever they thought would be best for him. The separation and divorce had been tough on the now eleven year old; the once loving home he grew up in with both parents turned into something neither he nor Rick recognized, a harsh reality they never thought they would face.

"I think that this would be best for him," Lori said, looking over at Rick. "He's not speaking with me or Shane about how he's feeling. He needs someone he can talk to, someone he can vent to. I don't want him to bottle up his feelings."

Rick rubbed at his eyebrow. The words Lori echoed was similar from what she told him before all of this started, about how he never talked to her and kept all of his thoughts and feelings locked away during their relationship. _Speak to me_ , she would often say. And when he did, it was like she didn't want to hear it in the first place. He knew that she didn't want Carl to go down that path, to end up like his father, so she would do whatever she could to help her boy.

"Okay," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, praying this would be better in the long run. "We can do that."

She breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a grateful look before turning back to a happy Deanna, who was already shuffling through her drawer for the paperwork. "Where do we sign?"

Afterwards, Rick and Lori walked out to the parking lot in silence, Lori looking over the copies of the paperwork in her hands. Rick's hands were shoved in his pocket as they were welcomed outside by the beaming hot sun.

"Thank you for doing this," Lori said as she stopped at her car, parked only two spots over from Rick's truck. "He's been through a lot. I think it will help."

"Yeah," Rick nodded, looking around the nearly empty lot. "I hope so."

Lori pondered her thoughts, her hand slowly rubbing her small bump that was hidden by her lose fitting white blouse. Rick remembered when she would do the same when she was pregnant with Carl, dreaming about all of the plans they had for their unborn child, ready to take on the world.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said softly, looking down. "Just wondering how we got here."

Rick shrugged, not knowing the answer either. "Life, I guess."

"How have you been?"

"Lori, please. Don't do this."

"I'm just asking a question, Rick. I'm concerned."

"Yeah, well, don't be," he said too sharply. He caught himself, exhaling and taking a step back. "You weren't too concerned when you moved on with my best friend."

Lori closed her eyes, praying that they wouldn't launch into this discussion again. "I said I was sorry. What else can I say?"

"I don't think there is anything else to say."

They stood there, quietly, each trying to figure out what happened. How after over ten years of marriage they had stopped communicating with another. How their love dwindled away. How they tried to stay strong for their son, but it only hindered him more. Life had a funny way of throwing curveballs and Rick wasn't sure if he was able to duck out of the way in time.

* * *

"So I told him that I would never go out with him again. Simple as that."

Michonne laughed at her friend as she picked up a piece of sesame chicken with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth. She was sitting behind her office desk, her bare feet free of her high heels on the hardwood floor. Andrea sat across from her, leaning on the desk, her bowl of shrimp lo mein in front of her. It was lunch time and the two women had ordered take out from the Chinese restaurant down the street, sharing the gossip they heard around the office and discussing the latest in their personal lives.

"And what was wrong with this guy?" Michonne asked, referring to the interesting date Andrea went on the night before.

Andrea shrugged as she pushed around some noodles with her chopsticks, a smirk on her face. "He just seemed so… condescending. Not my type at all."

Michonne nodded. Her friend was a force to be reckoned with and she didn't want any man to change that. "What about Tyreese? I saw you talking with him at Dad's party the other night. Did something come up while I was gone all of these years?"

Andrea laughed. Tyreese was the older brother of their friend, Sasha. They had lived down the street from Michonne, often coming over to hang out with her and Michonne. Tyreese, a gentle giant that Andrea would playfully call a teddy bear had crushed on both girls during their teenage years, but didn't make any moves to avoid any potential drama with Sasha.

"Yeah, right," she said, stuffing a piece of shrimp in her mouth. "No, that was just a friendly conversation. He's with some lady named Karen now. She's a teacher down at that private school off of Peach Street. I think she just transferred from King County about a year ago."

Michonne paused at the mention of King County. The party was five days ago and she had yet to see or hear from Officer Rick Grimes. Surprising since he seemed so persistent on going out with her. She didn't want to admit that she was curious in the man, but after thinking about him over the past couple of days, she definitely wanted to know more.

"So," she started slowly. "Have you heard from Rick lately?"

"Rick? No, I haven't, actually," Andrea said absent mindedly as she scrolled through some of her recent texts on her cell phone, oblivious to her friend's careful and curious approach. "We don't talk every day. Just every now and then. I check up on him about once a month to see how he's doing and to make sure he's doing okay." She glanced up, holding up her phone. "Have you heard from Sasha lately? Where is she? She hasn't been answering my calls."

"Um, I believe she's still in California." Sasha had gone off on a month vacation, jet setting off to different states on the West Coast with her boyfriend, Bob. However, Sasha was the least of Michonne's worries right now as her mind, again, drifted back to Rick.

"How did you two meet again?"

"Who? Rick and I?" Andrea looked up then, frowning slightly at the sudden revert back to the deputy. "I was his lawyer. I represented him after an incident in a bar a year ago." She shook her head as she thought back. "He's been through some tough times, Chonne."

"Like what?"

"Well," Andrea said, setting her phone aside. "I don't want to give away all of his details, but he had a messy divorce that involved his wife moving on with his best friend."

"Damn."

"Damn is right. The whole bar incident happened not too long after that. A neighbor of his, Dale, called me up and asked me to represent him. The case was dropped, but I still check up on him and his son, Carl, whenever I get a chance. He's doing better these days." She raised an eyebrow, remembering Rick's interest in her friend that night and her friend's sudden interest in him presently. She rested her head on her hand and smirked. "I saw you two slip out after dinner. Want to talk about it?"

Michonne shook her head as she wiped her hands on a napkin and threw it in the nearby wastebasket. "It was nothing. He invited me out for a cup of coffee."

"Oh? And when will this happen?"

"Not anytime soon."

"Michonne."

"Andrea, I told you-"

"I know, I know. But Rick is a good guy. Trust me; you know I wouldn't try to convince you unless I meant it. You know I have come across my fair share of losers." Andrea leaned back against her chair, folding her arms across her chest. "Give him a chance. Stop feeling so miserable all of the time and put yourself out there. Have some fun. Get out of the office. Work will still be here when you get back."

Michonne looked down at her hands as she thought about Andrea's advice. Maybe she was right. She had been keeping herself busy, trying to ignore and mask the pain she had been feeling. She thought that maybe running away from her problems would keep her sane, but the race was only keeping her away from the things that could bring her back to the surface.

"Oh, I have to go to a meeting," Andrea said as she glanced at the time on her watch. She stood up, reaching over to squeeze Michonne's hand. "Think about what I said." With that, she walked out of the room.

A couple of hours later, Michonne was ready to head home. It was six-thirty, an hour earlier than when she would normally leave the office, but she was exhausted, mentally and physically. She decided to take Andrea's advice; she was done running. There was nowhere else for her to go, only forward to move on with her life. Of course, it would take time and baby steps, but she was willing to take a chance.

She walked off the elevator and into the lobby. Smiling at the security guard sitting behind the desk, she made her way towards the glass double doors. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a figure sitting in one of the chairs a couple of feet away, his body hunched over while he scrolled through his cell phone. Glancing over, she saw the familiar brown curly hair and salt and pepper beard that had been on her mind. She stopped and turned towards him.

"Rick?"

Sure enough, the man looked up, revealing her suspicions. He gave a small smile and wave before standing up as she walked over. "Hey."

"If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were following me," she joked. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, well, I was in town for a convention today, but my truck just broke down. I thought maybe Andrea could give me a ride back, but it seems like she's either busy or gone for the day, so I figured I would call a cab or something."

"Yeah, she left not too long ago, so you just missed her. Did you need me to call a tow truck or anything?"

"No, I called one. It's in the shop now."

Michonne paused. She couldn't just leave him there. "How far is King County?"

Rick's brows furrowed as he quickly did the math in his head. "About almost an hour, maybe an hour and half with traffic."

"Why don't I take you home?" Michonne asked, the words stumbling out of her mouth before she could catch herself.

"No, I couldn't ask that." He held up cell phone. "I can call someone."

"No, really, it's fine. I don't have any plans tonight so it's not like you're keeping me from anything."

Rick stared at her, surprised by her sudden change in tone considering how she acted at the party the week before. His eyes roamed over her face, her full lips particularly, as she stood there awaiting his answer. He nodded his head. "If you insist, okay."

Michonne smiled, her bright teeth causing Rick's heart to beat faster. "My car is out in the parking garage."

He followed her out of the building. The sky was dark and night air cool as they made their way down the street. Michonne's high heels clicked against the sidewalk, her purse in her hand as she searched through it for her car keys.

He reached out and touched her on the arm softly, attempting to get her attention. "I still owe you that coffee," he said, grinning.

She looked up at him as she pulled out her keys, her grin mirroring his. "That you do."

"My friend Glenn has a restaurant. We can stop in and have a quick cup. His wife makes a mean yellow cake, too."

They stopped in front of her car, Michonne clicking the remote to unlock it. They stood there, careful not to rush things but also each wanting to take the next step. She felt an awakening in her, as if she could see light from under the water and misery from where she was drowning. Smiling, she looked down then back up at the handsome man in front of her.

"I would like that."


	4. Chapter 4

The ride to King's County was filled with silence, with small talk being made here and there on the weather and how their day went. Neither knew what to delve into on this sudden adventure, a sudden leap of faith that each had taken. Rick awkwardly looked out of the window, watching as their surrounding became fewer buildings and more fields, a signal that they were nearing his rural city and home.

Michonne, tired of the silence that filled the air, turned on the radio. A slow country song played, the volume still low, but loud enough for both to hear. She wasn't a huge fan of country music, but this song sounded nice so she decided to keep it on the station. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rick's fingers tap to the beat of the music on his knee. He was also humming along to the chorus.

"You like this song?"

He turned at the sound of her voice. "I guess you could say that. You don't?"

She shrugged. "It sounds okay. Just seems like every song is about love these days."

"You got something against love?"

"No. It's just that it isn't at all what it's cracked up to be."

He glanced over at her then, wondering if she was going to explain her reasoning. She didn't. Turning back to look out of the window, he thought what she could have been through to give her this conclusion.

More silence. Rick scratched at his beard, thinking of ways to keep the conversation going. He liked hearing the sound of her voice.

"How are you liking being back in Atlanta?"

"I like it. I'm still getting used to how different things are down here. Especially this." She waved her hand around at the farmlands the car passed outside. "I'm still used to the big city."

"It's the complete opposite for me. I grew up here," he said. "It's all I've known; never even thought about leaving."

"I couldn't wait to leave after college," she confessed, shaking her head. "I wanted to explore the world, find a new city to settle down in. I needed an adventure and new experiences. I couldn't get that down here. So when I was looking at law schools, I made sure to apply to schools in every other state but Georgia."

"That's how you ended up in New York?"

"Yep." She brightened as the thought of her nearly decade-long tenure in the big city. "I went to NYU for law school and ended up staying in the city after that. It had everything I wanted: theater, art museums, great food, and great music. And the art galleries for up and coming artists were amazing. It was probably one of the best decisions I ever made."

"Then why did you move back?"

She sighed, her excited energy now gone as she was reminded of the reason why she wasn't there now. "I needed a change of scenery. I recently ended a relationship and I thought that maybe coming back would bring my spirits back up."

He nodded in understanding, glancing over at her. "Has it helped?"

"It's a process, but, yes, it is helping," she said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

He nodded, pausing for a minute or so before saying, "Sometimes when the opportunity presents itself, you can't pass up on it."

She swallowed, glancing over at him quickly before turning her attention back to the road. A deer was lingering against the side of the road ahead, eventually scampering away as the car came closer. "Yeah, that's true."

A few feet down the road, Michonne spotted a green sign that said "Welcome to King County" in giant cursive letters.

"This is it," Rick said.

They passed through what Rick described as the "downtown" area of King County, which consisted of a post office, a bar, a mechanic shop, pharmacy, grocery store, daycare center and a gas station. Right next to the gas station at the end of the street was a blue building with brown window shutters and a sign in the front that said, _Hershel's on Main._

After parking in the parking lot adjacent to the building, they made their way into the restaurant. There were only a few customers seated at the square tables in the well-sized room, conversing and enjoying their late meals. On the other side of the room, an Asian man wearing an apron was behind the small bar wiping down the counter with a rag. He looked up as Rick walked towards him, Michonne slowly following behind, a big smile appearing on his face at the notice of his friend.

"Rick!" he said, untying the apron and throwing it on the coat rack behind him. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you all day, man."

"My truck broke down while I was in Atlanta," he explained as they shook hands. "I had to get a ride back."

"That truck finally broke down?" the man laughed. "Guess that means I lose the bet then. Maggie knew it would be soon, but I was holding out for another two months."

Rick shook his head, chuckling quietly as he turned and motioned for Michonne to join them. She was standing back, feeling awkward and out of place. "This is my friend, Michonne Hayes. She works with Andrea. Michonne, this is my friend, Glenn. He owns the restaurant."

"Uh, actually co-own," Glenn pointed out. "My wife Maggie owns the place as well. It's more of a family thing. Her dad helps out a lot." He held out his hand to Michonne. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," she accepted his handshake, offering a friendly smile in return.

"So, anything I can get for you guys? Coffee, beer, anything?"

"Well, I did promise her some of Maggie's cake," Rick said, glancing at Michonne before turning his attention to the end of the bar. A chocolate frosted cake sat on a display stand with a glass cover, the sight causing Michonne's mouth to water.

"Two slices coming up."

Just then, the door to the kitchen burst open and a tall, pretty woman with shoulder-length brown hair walked out, a tray of food balancing in one of her hands. Her face lit up at the sight of Rick and she waved with her free hand as she walked past.

"Hey there, Rick!"

"Hi, Maggie."

The aroma of the food instantly hit Michonne and her stomach grumbled in response. She hadn't eaten since lunch hours ago and her body was calling out for food.

"Actually, why don't we get two orders of pot roast," he suggested after hearing her stomach growl. Her face grew warm as she tried to stop him. He held up his hand. "It's my thank you to you for driving me all of the way out here tonight. I can't let you go back without a proper meal."

Michonne smiled in appreciation. Glenn looked between the two, wondering if he was barging in on anything. "Alright, two orders of pot roast coming up. Take a seat anywhere guys. Maggie will be right over with the drinks and food."

Rick and Michonne made their way over to a table by the window, the main street their view. Michonne glanced around the restaurant, spotting a bulletin board hanging on the wall behind Rick decorated with at least a dozen pictures of kids on what looked to be a field trip to the restaurant. The kids were smiling and laughing as they helped prepare pizza. In one photo, a young boy with strikingly familiar blue eyes and mousy brown hair was laughing into the camera as he helped Glenn place a pizza into the oven.

"Is that your son?" she asked, pointing to the photo.

Rick turned to take a look and then turned back, smiling. "Yeah, that's Carl. His school took a class field trip here about a year ago. He's actually taller than that now." He shook his head as he thought about how fast his boy was growing up.

"Did you ever get him that comic book?" Michonne raised her eyebrows.

"No, not yet. I was waiting for someone to show me this _Civil War_ one that she was telling me about last week." He raised his eyebrows in return, causing Michonne to laugh.

"Well, since it seems like you're following me around anyway, I'll find it for you next week. Meet me there."

"I'll be there."

Maggie walked over then, holding a bottle of beer in one hand and a glass of water with a wedge of lemon in the other. She gave a friendly smile as she set the beverages on the table.

"We were wondering when you would show up today," she said to Rick in a deep southern accent. "Daddy was getting worried since we haven't seen you in a couple of days. You're usually in here for lunch every day."

Rick ran a hand through his hair. He had grown close to Maggie's family since the divorce, especially with her father, Hershel Greene, who helped out all he could and often checked in regularly. Once a week, Rick would stop by his farm to help out in his garden and to talk. Talking with Hershel was therapeutic for him; it offered him a chance to get everything off of his chest and to listen to whatever advice the wise older man had to offer. He had seen and been through some things through the years.

"It's been a tough week with Carl," he said. "He's with me next week so we'll be sure to stop by the farm."

"Good. Daddy will like that." Maggie turned to Michonne, her smile as bright and welcoming as ever. "Excuse my manners, Miss. I'm Maggie, Glenn's wife."

Michonne returned her smile. The woman's positive energy was rubbing off of her. "I'm Michonne."

"Nice to meet you. Rick, you didn't tell us you were bringing a date. Is this why you haven't been by here?" Maggie's eyes gleamed with tease.

Rick's face grew red as he nervously rubbed at his eyebrow. "Uh, no. She's just a friend."

Maggie nodded, smirking. "I'll be back with your food."

"Sorry about that," Rick said as soon as Maggie walked away. "Everyone is kind of nosy around here."

"Mmm, that's a small town for you." She took a sip of her water and looked out of the window. It was around eight-thirty now. A couple of citizens were out enjoying the cool February night down the street at the bar, laughing and dancing with not a care in the world. "They're showing that they care."

"Well, to be honest, I needed it after the separation and divorce. I was in a dark place after everything went down." His gaze fell upon the bar down the street, flashbacks of that stressful night where his sanity just collapsed ran through his mind. "I almost lost custody of Carl. I was put on mandatory leave at work because I wasn't focused enough. I lost my best friend and partner. I lost my wife. Nothing was looking too good."

He sighed and closed his eyes, his fingers reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I stay up at night wondering if I'm doing right by him. Hoping that we didn't ruin his childhood or innocence."

Michonne placed a hand over his, surprising both of them. She didn't know what was coming over her that night, but she felt something for this man. Maybe it was the similar feelings he had towards his fallen relationship. "If he's anything like that picture that's on the wall, I'm sure he's fine. He has a father that loves him very much. I think you're doing well."

He chuckled, looking down at their hands on the table. "He's a good kid. Having a little trouble in school, but he's getting better. Things are going okay."

She nodded her approval, finally removing her hand from his. He instantly missed her touch. She took a sip of water before averting her eyes and gazing down at the table. Her fingers toyed with the straw paper wrapper as she pondered on what she was about to say next.

"I was with my ex for five years," she started slowly, her eyes still downcast. "We had met while I was in law school and were friends for a few years until the relationship started. It was great in the beginning. We both were doing well in our careers. I had worked my way up at the law firm and he was supportive at first, but near the end, he felt distant."

She paused, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again and looking up at him, meeting Rick's gaze. He was focused solely on her, intense. She continued. "He had an emotional affair with his co-worker. While I was working late nights in the office, stressed out of my mind and trying to make a future for us, he was pouring his heart out to her."

She shook her head. "I don't think it was meant to last, but I think we- or rather, I- was holding on to some kind of hope." She exhaled, letting out the breath that she didn't know she was holding. "It was the roughest and most painful feeling I had ever experienced. It hurts when the person you love falls in love with someone else."

Rick nodded in agreement. He knew all too well of her sentiments, having experienced it with Lori. "Hey," he tilted his head trying to catch her attention. "You're home now. You have support here. Your family, your friends- they're looking out for you. They care for you."

Michonne let out a small smile, sinking in the realization that she could finally start to feel safe now. "Yeah," she said softly.

After they finished eating their dinner, Michonne offered to drive Rick home. He refused, stating that he was going to help close the restaurant and would catch a ride with Glenn and Maggie.

"Besides, it's late," he said, pointing to his watch. "I've had you out long enough. Are we still on for next week?"

She nodded. They had agreed to meet at the bookstore to find more comic books for Carl. "Sure are."

He opened her car door, waiting until she was settled in before closing it. She rolled her window down and he bent his body so they were at eye level.

"You be careful out there," he said in that voice that she was beginning to like the sound of. "Let me know when you get in and enjoy that cake." He nodded his head toward the plastic container Michonne had placed on the passenger seat. Maggie had given her a piece of cake to go.

"I will," she said. "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For listening."

Rick smiled. He stood and watched as she drove down the road, her words ringing in his ears. This had been a long day, but it was ending on a good note for him. He hoped that it was the same case for her as well.

Later that night while Rick was relaxing on the couch watching television, he received a message from Michonne. He smiled at the picture of the half-eaten yellow cake and her caption, "It's really good. I need about five more."

His head resting on the back of the couch, he couldn't help but think this night was just the start of something for both of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! First of all, I am so sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I had to step back and rethink the direction of the story and after a long four months, this story is officially back on. There should be more frequent updates here on out. A million thank you's to my beta, iminyjo, for listening to my constant ramblings and helping me get back on track over the last couple of months. You're the real mvp. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy it!**

 _Rick closed his eyes as he felt the warm beer slide down the back of his throat, the beverage causing him to feel foggy but at least it was enough to take the pain away. He wanted to forget all that was going on in his world, to forget everything that was falling apart. It felt like the walls were closing in on him and, after today, the only thing that did help him escape reality was alcohol. He didn't want to speak with anyone, especially Maggie and Glenn, avoiding their worried faces and watchful eyes during his lunch break at their restaurant. So he retreated to the bar across the street, where he knew he would be unbothered since most of the customers were watching a highly anticipated football game on the television, hooting and hollering every couple of seconds._

 _Spencer Monroe, the bartender, was standing on the other side of the bar, a rag thrown across his shoulder. He eyed Rick carefully, noting the gruff appearance of his customer. His beard had grown out, full and scruffy, as if he wasn't even trying to maintain it these days. Stress lines were etched into his forehead and dark bags had formed underneath his eyes. He looked horrible._

 _"You didn't drive tonight, right?" Spencer asked, getting the feeling that this beer would be followed by more._

 _Rick shook his head as he took another gulp of the beer. He had left his truck over at the nearby mechanic shop for an oil change and had planned on walking home after a beer or two. He needed to clear his mind. However, as he kept on drinking, the thoughts of his ending marriage came back up and he couldn't handle that right now. Not after the news he had just heard that morning._

 _They had went off and eloped. His ex-wife and best friend were married to each other now—Shane and Lori Walsh._

 _The news had spread around by none other than Shane himself. Rick could hear him telling some of the other deputies the details that morning. How he and Lori decided to go on a whim and exchange vows. How they drove all the way out to Savannah to be married at the small church where Shane's parents were married. How they wished Carl could have been there but decided it would have been too much for the young kid to handle. They would have a small ceremony for family and friends later, once the "legal situation" was over._

 _Rick's felt his hand ball into a fist. The divorce was finalized but his ex-wife had already committed her life to someone else before the ink could fully dry. Their betrayal only furthered his suspicions that their relationship started while she was still married to Rick._

 _He thought back to the day when he knew his and Lori's marriage was officially over. He had walked into the house after his shift to find all of her stuff was gone. Their family photos were lined up on the mantel as if they were of some other unknown family instead of theirs._

 _"Hey, Spencer, let me get what Rick's having."_

 _Rick turned to see Shane standing a couple of feet away from him, still wearing his deputy uniform. A gold band was on his ring finger on his left hand. Rick turned away, took the last gulp of his beer and stood to leave. Shane stopped him._

 _"Hey, man, where are you going? I just got here." Shane motioned towards the stool where Rick had been sitting. "Come on, let's talk like we use to whenever we would come in here after a shift. Like the good old times."_

 _Rick scoffed. "Don't think that's such a good idea, Shane. I gotta get home."_

 _"Come on, man," he prodded. "Let's just talk for a minute."_

 _Rick felt the anger starting to bubble up inside him. His hand balled into a fist again._

 _Shane took a gulp of the beer that Spencer had placed in front of him on the counter. "Look, man, I just wanted to apologize for everything that went down. I know it hasn't been-"_

 _"Apologize?" Rick frowned. The audacity of him to even attempt to try. "After you screwed my wife? Took my child? What, do you want him to call you daddy now? Is that what you want? That life won't be worth a damn because you won't be able to live with it. I know you."_

 _Shane stared at him, taken aback by his former partner's reaction. Even after all of the years he had known him, he had never seen him as angry as he was now. He decided to size him up. "What do you know about what I can live with? You don't know a damn thing, man."_

 _"You listened to me," Rick continued, his voice raising. A few customers turned their heads away from the football game to take a look at the commotion. "Talk about my marriage problems for months and the whole time you were messing around with her behind my back?"_

 _"It wasn't like that, man."_

 _"The hell it was!"_

 _Everyone was looking at the two men now. The door opened and Glenn walked in, halting in his steps at the tension in the room and the sight in front of him._

 _Shane chuckled. He rubbed the top of his head, over the waves of brown hair. He stepped closer towards Rick, lowering his voice. "You don't know what I can live with. Let's just face it- you weren't trying to fight for Lori. I'm a better man for her. I'll fight for her-"_

 _Rick's fist landed in the middle of Shane's face, interrupting his statement. Shane looked up to see Rick's eyes filled with rage as he raised his fist for another hit. Shane sidestepped him and decided to deliver a punch of his own to his ribs. Once Rick doubled over in pain, he head butted him, knocking Rick to the ground in agony._

 _Shane stood over him. "You weren't right for her, man. She needed someone that could take care of her and Carl and you couldn't deliver."_

 _He reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. Slapping it on the counter, he said, "Hey, Spence, I'm paying for his tab. Make sure he gets home safe."_

 _He started to walk away and had made it halfway towards the door before he was pushed to the ground. He scrambled onto his back, trying his best to get up, but Rick had him pinned to the floor._

 _Rick's mind raced with memories of his time spent with Lori and his time spent with Shane. He had known this man for more than half of his life as friends and they were now suddenly enemies. Betrayal was what he felt, red was what he saw. He delivered punch after punch to Shane's face, ignoring the yells from the other guests in the bar. Glenn tried to get Rick to stop, but Rick shrugged him off. Shane's nose was now broken and he had two black eyes with blood smeared everywhere, but Rick didn't care. A voice deep down told him to stop, but he couldn't. It was as if he was another person that overcame him and he didn't recognize him at all._

 _Finally, Glenn was able to successfully pull Rick off of Shane. He held him back as Spencer yelled at both Rick and Shane, threatening to call down the Sheriff to handle their quarrel. Rick closed his eyes, his head throbbing and spinning with dizziness. His world went black._

* * *

Rick turned the radio down as he pulled into the driveway of the Greene's family home, a two story, white farmhouse with a wraparound porch that set atop hundreds of acres of land that once held elaborate fields of crops and produce. Hershel Greene gave up farming years ago when Maggie was a little girl to focus on his veterinarian practice, keeping up only with the fruit trees that lined the driveway and the two horses that still cantered through the fields. Since he began his retirement just a few years ago, his green thumb back came to life again, setting up a garden in the backyard and teaching Rick the trials and techniques during his weekly visits.

Rick found his time in the garden comforting and quiet, a different kind of quiet then the one he encountered in his own house when it wasn't his week with Carl. It was more of a peaceful quiet, a feeling that everything was going to work out in the end. During the early months of his divorce, he would visit often, to escape all of the pain and chaos. Carl didn't share the same sentiment, often retreating to his room or to his friend, Duane's house, down the street. They both found their own ways to cope with the life change.

He stepped out of the truck and made his way up the porch steps, noticing Maggie's car next to Hershel's truck in the driveway. He wiped his boots on the welcome mat in front of the screen door before ringing the doorbell. Hershel's wife, Annette, was very particular about her floors.

"Hey there, stranger." Maggie appeared on the other side of the screen door, her face lit up into a smile. She had an apron tied around her waist and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Hey," Rick said as he stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. "I stopped by the restaurant today for lunch. Glenn said you weren't feeling well this morning."

Maggie shook her head as she resumed her place back at the counter where a half cut tomato was on a cutting board, a plate with bread, lettuce and turkey next to it. "It was nothing. Just a headache and some nausea. I told Glenn I was fine but he insisted that I take a day off."

"That restaurant has been keeping you on your feet lately. You need some rest."

"And I got it this morning," she smiled. "I didn't get out of bed until nearly 11. Daddy had to come in and check on me." She reached into the cabinet to grab two glasses before heading towards the refrigerator for the pitcher of iced tea. "He's in the garden with Carl, putting him to work."

Rick nodded his appreciation as he took the glass from her. "Thank you guys again for this. I'm still getting used to this single parenthood thing."

He always expressed his appreciation for the Greene family whenever he was given the chance. They had helped him a lot when it came to Carl. Since his work shifts ended well after school ended, Carl would go to either Duane's house or Hershel's until Rick got off from work. Since it now baseball season and Duane was on the team, Carl was spending more and more time on the farm.

"You know you don't have to thank us," Maggie replied softly as she finished cutting the tomato. "Having you and Carl around is a treat. Although your son has been eating us out of house and home."

Rick chuckled. "Yeah, he's hitting that growth spurt." He finished his drink and walked over to the sink to wash it out. "Our fridge is nearly empty at home."

"I'll bet."

Maggie paused, setting down the knife and turning towards her friend. She looked him over carefully, noticing that his demeanor over the last couple of days had changed. He was perkier, it seemed. Lighter. She quickly concluded that it could have been due to the mysterious woman he had brought to the restaurant the week before. She had watched them that night and observed the ease between them. She wasn't sure how long they had known each other, but they seemed comfortable together.

"So you gonna tell me about the woman you introduced me to last week?" she started. "You claim she's just a friend but you've never spoken about her before."

"I can't have friends outside of King County?"

"No, you can, but with the way you were looking at her, it seemed like she was more than just a friend. She seems nice. You plan on seeing her again?"

"As a matter of fact, I'm seeing her tomorrow, actually. We're going into town to pick up some stuff for Carl."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, surprised. "So, it's a date?" She didn't even attempt to hide the excitement in her voice.

"No," he shook his head. "And don't tell her it's a date either. She's against it for some reason."

"I'm glad you're getting back out there. I thought Glenn and I had to set you up on another date," she joked.

Rick frowned as he thought of the previous dates Glenn and Maggie had set him up on. Both ladies were nice but neither were his type- the first was weird and the second had an obsession with owls.

"Yeah, that's not necessary," he said as he walked towards the back door, patting her on the shoulder as he passed her. "But thanks anyway."

"Let us know if you need any pointers," Maggie called after him. "I know it's been a while."

On the back porch, the Greene's dog, Lady, a cocker spaniel with more gray fur than black, was asleep. She lazily opened her eyes and lifted her head when Rick ruffled her fur before he bounded down the porch steps.

Rick spotted Hershel and Carl in the garden, kneeling down in front of a tomato plant. Carl was wearing a baseball cap, but Rick could still see the uninterested look on his face. The look had seemed to become a permanent feature of his these days.

"These leaves are gonna be in the shade so we won't get any good fruit from it," Hershel said, looking up as Rick stepped beside him, kneeling down to listen. "So we just pinch it off here." He pinched off a stem, holding it up so the the Grimes men could see.

"Things break, but they can still grow." He deposited the stem into the dark soil. "These little bristles, they'll take root and we'll have a whole new plant. There's nothing wrong with starting over. It's necessary in life at times."

Rick nodded. The irony in his statement somehow applied to their lives. "Y'all need any help with anything else out here?"

Hershel stood slowly, his left leg aching from being on the ground too long. An old farm injury that still plagued him every now and then. "No, we're just about finished. Now take this young man home. I think I've bored him enough today."

Carl grinned. "Thanks for the help today, Hershel," he said just before running into the house to collect his belongings.

"He didn't give you any trouble today, did he?" Rick nodded towards the house.

"None. He came in, I helped him with his homework and we've been out here for the rest of the day." Hershel motioned for them to start walking towards the house. "He's a good kid. You and Lori did right by him."

"Well, if there was anything good that came out of that marriage, it was Carl." He sighed. "I'm trying, Hershel. He doesn't deserve to go through all of this."

"At least you're trying. That's all that matters and that he recognizes it. Kids see more than we think they do." Hershel gave him a pat on the back as they walked up the porch steps. "Just keep trying."

Later after saying their goodbyes to Maggie and Hershel, Rick and Carl headed home. The fifteen minute drive was mostly silent. Rick asked Carl the basic questions: How was school? How did that math test go? Was there any trouble with the other kids? Each question was met with one word answers- Fine. Good. No. He wasn't sure how to get more out of him. He had started his therapy sessions the week before with the psychologist, Dr. Cloyd, and while Rick knew it was much too early for any signs of progress, he was hoping that Carl would open up sooner rather than later.

Rick glanced over at him, his eyes immediately noticing the comic book that he had picked up from the bookstore a couple of weeks back. He gave a small smile as he thought about his plans with Michonne. He hadn't told Carl yet and he figured now was the best time.

He nodded towards it, though Carl missed it as his intense gaze was focused on the town outside.

"How was the book?" Rick asked, hoping to get the conversation rolling.

Carl snapped out of it, his gaze breaking away from the window and over to his father. He paused for a minute as he tried to bring himself back to reality. "It was good," he shrugged. "I finished it during art class."

"You should be doing work, Carl, not reading."

"Yeah, well, tell Ms. Anderson to stop talking about boring artwork and owls and I might actually pay attention."

Rick couldn't help but smirk. Ms. Anderson seemed to have that droning effect on people. "I, uh, have plans with a friend tomorrow night so do you mind staying at Duane's house? I asked his dad and he said it was okay."

Carl frowned. "Who's the friend? Glenn?"

Rick took a deep breath. "No, my friend is a she. She's someone I met a few weeks ago."

"Oh." His face softened. "So it's a date."

Apparently, everyone was seeing it that way. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"Oh." Carl turned to look out of the window as Rick pulled into the driveway of their home. "It's not Ms. Anderson and the lady obsessed with the junk art is it?"

Rick laughed. "No, it's not. She's… different from them." He parked the car, shutting off the ignition.

"Different than Mom?" Carl's curious eyes looked over at him from under his hat.

"Yeah, from her, too." He studied his son and he could practically hear the wheels grinding in his head. Like he was holding back something, but desperate to get it off of his chest. "You okay?"

No, it wasn't okay. Carl had been wanting to tell his father for a while now that he would rather live with just him instead of going off to his mother's house every other week. She tried to constantly get him to talk, practically hovering nearby to make sure everything was okay. Things had gotten worst since she unveiled her pregnancy. Her emotions were high. Shane walked around like nothing happened, requesting that they go fishing or camping. He didn't like it. When he was at Rick's, he let him deal with things his own way, even though Carl knew he worried him. He felt better with his dad, less pressured.

His mom would understand. Hopefully. Maybe not now, but one day. He thought it was a good idea. However, he knew the stress and pain his father had went through with the whole divorce. He didn't want him to go through that again.

"It's just.." Carl inhaled. "Do you think it's okay if-"

He was interrupted by a sudden tap on his windows, causing both of them to jump. Duane stood on the other side, smiling and holding up a basketball in his hands.

"Hey, Carl, Mr. Grimes! Is it okay if Carl plays a quick game with me?"

"Yeah, give us a minute," Rick said. He turned his gaze back to his son. "What is it, Carl?"

Carl shook his head, doubts filling him to the brim. He knew both his mother and Shane would fight for him and he didn't want Rick to feel the brunt of their force. "Nothing. I'll talk to you later, Dad." With that, he grabbed his backpack and hopped out of the truck, closing the door and running down the street with his friend, leaving his confused father behind.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.

* * *

Michonne stuffed her cell phone into her armband and pulled her locs up into a high ponytail, her muscles still aching from her late night workout session the night before. She was back at it again this morning as she prepared for her daily 6 am run in the park with Andrea and Sasha. For the past month, it had only been Andrea and Michonne with Sasha being out on vacation, but since Sasha had gotten back into town the previous day, they were ready to get back on track.

She sat down on a nearby bench to tie her shoes. She couldn't do without exercising nowadays; every night, no matter what time she got in, she would spend at least thirty minutes on the treadmill in her guest bedroom. Running had became her outlet, the rush of the adrenaline she felt and the overwhelming satisfaction of leaving behind all of the stress and pain that may have occurred during the day. It allowed her to regain back some of the balance and control over her life that was lost.

"Michonne!"

She looked up to see Sasha standing just a few feet away from her, a wide grin on her face as she greeted her friend. Her dark curly hair was pulled up into a puff on the top of her head, a scarf wrapped around her edges. She looked radiant and alive, a sharp contrast from a time in her life just a few years ago.

"Hey," Michonne said, pulling her in for a hug. "Have you been waiting long?"

Sasha shook her head. "Nope, just got here about ten minutes ago. I texted Andrea to see where she was." She held up her cell phone and rolled her eyes. "She has a guest in her bed so she won't be joining us for a run. She will, however, be there for breakfast."

"Of course she will," Michonne laughed as they started to walk towards the trail near the lake. After their morning runs, they would always have breakfast at the nearby diner or at Michonne's apartment since she lived the closest. "And who is this guest that she has over?"

Sasha shrugged. "Beats me. He probably won't stick around long enough to introduce himself to us."

"So how was your trip?" They stepped onto the trail, picking up a quick jog.

"It was great," Sasha practically swooned. "We went to Seattle, Portland, San Diego. Ate at every restaurant, visited every beach and major landmark, hiked up the mountains. If we had time, we would have gone to the Grand Canyon."

Michonne took a glance over at her friend, noting her relaxed and cheerful demeanor. Her skin was practically glowing. Sasha had a new lease and view on life now and it all was because of Bob. He came into her life when she was at her lowest point and pulled her to her highest.

"Bob introduced me to some of his family members," Sasha continued as they bypassed a couple that was walking a little bit too slowly. "The ones that live out there. His mother basically threw a party for us and welcomed me into the family. They're all really nice."

"Welcomed into the family, huh? Is there something that we missed?" Michonne lifted up Sasha's hand playfully to inspect for a ring. "Did he propose and you just haven't told us yet?"

Sasha laughed, pulling her hand away. "No. You guys would have been the first to know, don't worry. It wasn't like that, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened soon."

"Would you do it again?" Michonne asked softly, carefully eyeing her running mate to make sure she wasn't venturing over the line. "Get married?"

Sasha slowed her pace to a walk with Michonne doing the same. She was quiet for a moment, her hands on her hips and her eyes on the ground as she contemplated her answer. The question was one she had been asking herself recently, but she always dismissed it, having yet to know how to answer.

"You know, when Abraham died, I didn't think I could go on," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just gave up on being someone, an actual person. I quit my job. I stayed in bed and when I wasn't in bed, I would drive around aimlessly with no destination in mind, sometimes ending up in another county or state. I would run away from the pain I was feeling, not really wanting to face it at all. You saw how I was."

Michonne nodded, thinking back to three years ago when Sasha's husband, Abraham Ford, an army officer, was killed while on his last tour of duty. Sasha was heartbroken, as expected, and went into a downhill depression. Both Andrea and Michonne were by her side and did whatever they could to help-Andrea staying over at Sasha's house to keep a close eye on her and to help her through the rough nights she was unable to sleep and Michonne flying down a few times a month. They did all they could to help relieve their friend of the constant pain she was going through, but it wasn't until she started attending meetings for surviving spouses did she feel herself coming back to life. She was able to identify with other widows three times a week and it was there where she met Bob, who had recently lost his wife in Iraq. They formed a close bond and eventually started dating almost a year ago.

"Bob saw me," she continued, finally breaking her stare to glance over at Michonne. "Even after I thought I was dead and gone. He became my friend and then he was more. He made me more, maybe even more than what I used to be before Abraham died. So, yeah, I can see myself getting married again."

"I'm glad that you're happy again."

"Me, too." Sasha paused, remembering back to a conversation she had with Andrea over the last weekend. "I hear you're on your way to happiness again."

"I'm fine," Michonne assured her. "But yes, I have a date tomorrow night."

"Is this one going to last longer than the last one?"

Michonne rolled her eyes and couldn't help but laugh. Her friends had tried to get her back on the dating scene when she first moved back to Atlanta, taking her out and setting her up on blind dates. She never made it past the third date with the men. But with Rick, it was different. She wasn't sure what it was, but she felt this connection with him that she couldn't quite explain. He had been on her mind all week now and he even appeared in her dreams the night she had driven him to King County. In her dream, his hands explored her body in ways that caused her to wake up flushed and sweaty, her sheets tangled around her legs. The man had an effect on her and she was curious to know more about him.

"I hope so," she answered lightly, a small smile appearing on her face.

Sasha nudged her shoulder with her arm. "Want another piece of advice?"

"Is this a therapy session?" Michonne asked, laughing.

"'Just as you have loved before, you will love again.'"

"What?"

"It's from that book of poetry you gave me a few years ago. I was flipping through it one day before one of my meetings and came across it. Warsan Shire." She placed a hand on Michonne's shoulder. "Not trying to sound too preachy or anything, but give it a chance. I know we didn't experience the same kind of loss, but it's still a loss regardless. Prove that quote right."

Michonne sighed as they started to jog again, her legs reaching out slightly more than Sasha's and eventually picking up a faster pace. It had all worked out for Sasha; she only hoped the same would happen with her.


End file.
